What to wash with - allergic to soaps? (Photo - TMI)

[allergictowhat]

Every time I shower/wash I’m coming out in a rash . Similar if I use perfumes or perfumed products .

So far it’s been triggered by

Nivea shower gel
Bath and body works
Body shop
Lush
L’Oréal shampoo
All brands of conditioner
Intensive hair mask things
Face masks
Perfume (ie perfume perfume)
Always pads
Foundation
Face wash
Moisturiser
Soap and Glory
Handwash

I get a red/purple rash on contact and surrounding area that burns/swells . Left with dry/scaly and itchy skin after (see photo) . I’ve tried switching to sensitive products to no avail.

Used a Nivea wash this morning, within seconds hands, arms, boobs, neck were bright red/purple and swollen - took about an hour to go down and still a bit stingy now . Could see finger marks where I’d washed .

GP surgery said to minimise all contact with toiletries, use very basic soap and shampoo and to keep piriton in the house - but this has even happened with sanex/simple products . I can’t find any common ingredients other than SLS and nut derivatives - but I can eat nuts …

I can’t not shower .

I’m allergic to quite a few medicines as well (similar reactions) and hair dye so don’t know if it’s maybe something about me that’s causing it .

Bit worried the next time will be anaphylaxis .

Should add when my skin flares I just use Johnson's honey baby soap under my arms and for feet, and then hydromol ointment on the rest of my body
Mine is definitely heat/sweat induced though, I have skin like a rhino for fragrance

With a daughter allergic to every known bloody soap & dermatological emollient on earth (so it seems, she’s allergic to Cetraben, E45,Aveeno, Diprobase), the only thing she can tolerate is Sanex Zero & petroleum jelly.

She finds the old style drowsy antihistamines better than the newer classes like loratidine & cetirizine too, taking them at night so she can still work during the day.

Do you get the reaction if you wash without any soap? Does it calm down if you don't wash? I'm wondering if it could be related to the warmth of the water, or even the water itself?

I'm not being funny but can't you just wash without soap?

I wash my hands with bar soap as required but rarely use soap in the shower (only if my skin feels greasy, maybe once a month).

I dont smell

There are quite a few products available that are sls free nowadays. I know they are sold in superdrug, b&m, boots etc. Could be worth a try if you think that's the problem.

I have multiple allergies and use faith in nature fragrance free soap.

Faith In Nature Natural Fragrance Free Hand Soap Bar, Sensitive, Vegan and Cruelty Free, No SLS or Parabens, 100 g https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B06X3Y1VNL/ref=cmswwrcppapiii_R42DGGK4R10S613XKBHT

I had allergy testing though that enabled to work out what to avoid. The list is extensive and I don't think I'd have been able to work it out by trial and error. One of my allergens is a very safe ingredient often used in sensitive skin products!!

I really think you ought to push the GP for a referral to dermatology.

@TortugaRumCakeQueen

Your GP should be prescribing you a medical "wash" that isn't soap. I've been getting it free for years. I can't think now what it's called, as I decant it in to a nicer looking bottle. It comes in a white pump action bottle, with blue writing on.

I'm allergic to almost all of those so that's not necessarily the answer.

Dove Sensitive Skin Beauty Bar

Avoid anything that contains methylisothiazolinone including fairy liquid

Could you try Oilatum - the one for babies? It's a cleanser but it's very gentle. My baby has horrid skin sometimes and it seems not to aggravate anything (and definitely helps).

Definitely push for a skin allergy test. Also, I'm allergic to most pads so I switched to period pants. I use the m&s high waisted ones and would never go back now

NO SOAP.

Just warm water and a flannel. Works fine, honestly.

I had a student a few years ago who had horrendous allergies. Literally, no product no matter how sensitive or natural was usable without her coming out in a rash which ranged from mild hives all the way up to her looking like she had been burned. In the end her mom planted a saponins garden. These are natural planst which create soap like suds when their leaves, roots or stems are broken and exposed to water. The wee pet used to bring a little baggy of soapwort roots to school in the beginning and then she persuaded the principal to let us plant a clematis plant beside the toilet block. She would just tear off a leaf or a flower on her way in to wash her hands.

Look up saponin plants. There loads of them and some can be used like a bar of soap. Ither you boil and then keep a bottle of the water to use like hand pump soap. Great smells too.

Try washing just in water and see if it's the heat/pressure first. Then I'd test an emollient wash and/or pure soap in a small area rather than putting it all over you. Also keep some 1% hydrocortisone cream in the house if you get skin allergies. It's really handy stuff to have around and if you do a patch test at least you can put a bit on if you react to anything.

Could it be temperature related? I have suddenly developed cold urticaria so could it be the heat causing a reaction in a similar way. My legs come out in hives in cold weather and throat swells up with cold food or drink.

I am allergic to many perfumes and scented products such as fabric conditioner. It became a lot worse in peri menopause. I just don’t use anything perfumed. I have never been tested I ended up with a swollen eye on holiday where my face was pressed against the pillow.

Clinique and simple products inky and Tesco non bio powered is the only thing I use. When travelling I take my own bedding and towel unless .a hotel can boil wash all the linen.

When I want to use deep conditioning on my hair I use gently warmed olive oil.

DS has eczema and uses Dermol. It's lovely and smooth.

Cetraben on prescription.

Contact dermatitis about 15 years ago,was so bad I wasbleeding,not itching but really sore. Saw dermatology consultant, nothing shown on the tests
Did have reaction to latex,elastane
In the end, for about 10 years I only showered with water,had to change my lovely undies to pure cotton. I had to use one of those bath scourer things. You get a build up of oil and old skin cells.

Every one of the products shown here and a few more,made my skin sore.

Stop wearing make up aswell and perfumes and check all household cleaners

That looks sore. My mother developed an allergy to all perfumed products. She uses a few very old fashioned soaps Imperial Leather, Palm Olive etc. When it was at it's worse she used Aqueous creme
Unfortunately it was trial and error. She had to give up her smelly candles also. Hope you find something suitable soon.

I have contact dermatitis. Mine is restricted to my hands fortunately but at it’s worst it was agony, I’d wake in the night scratching my hands til they bled with blisters. I had a nice GP who referred me to dermatology. They did skin patch testing, it didn’t show anything specific but I know that stress and the soap at my workplace sets it off.

I use Dermol 500 (I get it on prescription) both to wash my hands and body when I shower. I ran out of Dermol yesterday and my hands are red today! (Added a photo). I would definitely push for a Dermatology appointment, although in my local trust the non-urgent referral have a long wait. I’d ask your GP if you could try Dermol in the mean time.

Try baby mild dr bronner's Castille soap. Super mild and natural and you can get it in Ocado, Waitrose and most health food stores. Good luck!

Get yourself some pure olive soap (Castile) or Alepp soap (Laurel).

No fragrance, minimal ingredients. I have really reactive skin. Usually it's perfumes but some of the ingredients listed about set my skin off.

Plain, unfragranced Castile soap. And NOT Dr Bronner because it isn't pure Castile. It's bloody good marketing but it's not the real deal.

Something like this is great. I make my own, but for £3 this is a good buy.

www.littlesoapcompany.co.uk/p/unperfumed-pure-olive-soap-bar-for-sensitive-skin-100g/